In the Arms of Stone Angels (7 page)

Lucas was Chloe's obsession and everyone knew it, but she was too pathetic to take what she wanted.

“He's been watching me. I see him looking over here.” Chloe smiled and took a hit off a joint, sucking in her breath
and blinking her eyes when the spiral of smoke trailed into her face. Jade knew the weed was from a private stash Chloe kept hidden in her bedroom.

When Jade looked back at Lucas, the boy was chatting up a blonde sitting next to him as he hunched over his guitar, strumming chords. Chloe was clearly delusional. He had no clue she even inhabited the same planet.

“That's 'cause he knows you're stalking him, along with half the girls in school.” She grabbed Chloe by the shoulders and shook her. “Screw him and get it over with. You're boring me.”

Lucas was definitely cool. He was a musician, a high school boy who played guitar with a local band of college guys. He was that good. And cute, too. He had dark hair that looked like he'd just gotten out of bed. His hair made a girl want to run her fingers through it. He was tall with dark, soulful eyes. And he had a pierced ear and wore a Celtic cross around his neck. Everything about the guy made him seem older.

Lucas was real fantasy material, mainly because he never said much. Most guys opened their mouths and ruined everything. Not Lucas. He had an air of mystery to him, as if he were above it all. And since he didn't say much, a girl could make up anything about him and it would fit. His quiet self-confidence meant that he didn't just talk about doing stuff. He actually did it and didn't have to brag about it later.

If Chloe hadn't drooled on him first, Jade would have rocked his world. Who knows? She might still step in and save Lucas from boring Chloe, if the boy was still worthy by the end of the party. And doing it in Chloe's bedroom, right under her nose, would be a stunt worthy of Heather herself.

Jade grinned at the idea and took off to find Brenna. The real fun was about to start.

 

Mom's idea of a good time for me was a house filled with enough secondhand smoke to give me a tumor, cheap booze and grass to get me busted and several hundred losers I didn't want to know. And for a real laugh riot, someone had barfed on the stairs, the kind with chunks. I got out of smell range of blown chow and wandered through the house looking for Chloe. Once I made an appearance, I could split. The way they had the music blasting, the neighbors were bound to complain about the noise anyway.

Since the party had been Mom's idea, I didn't get the usual twenty questions like, “Will her parents be there?” As I walked through the chaos, I didn't see anyone older than twenty. That meant I'd stay sober in case I had to ditch if cops raided the place. And all I wanted was to smell fresh air again, stare into the night sky and save my eardrums from bleeding.

When I turned to go, I ran into a wall of pectorals.

“I didn't figure you'd show. Come to apologize?” Derek grinned down at me.

I had enough that kept me up nights. The last thing I needed was a parting shot of Derek Bast's face—God's best endorsement for birth control.

“Apologize for what?” Before he answered, I raised my hand and yelled loud enough for him to hear me. “Forget I asked. I don't want to know.”

I don't friggin' care,
was more like it. Before I pushed by him, he handed me a glass. Even in the dim lights I saw the drink was mostly alcohol. I could've smelled it at twenty paces.

“No, thanks. This was a mistake.” When I shoved by him, he dumped the whole glass down the front of my dress and pretended it had been an accident. I gasped and stood there in
shock—dripping wet—with everyone laughing at me. I saw some of their faces through the darkness.

But one face stood out from the rest—
Jade DeLuca.

She glared at me with her arms crossed. Backlit in an aura of pale light, her reddish hair made her look as if she glowed red-hot, like she had superpowers. Maybe girls like Jade did. She wore a low-cut tank top and skinny jeans that showed off a body that she knew how to use. Her face was cast in shadow, but I remembered she had cold gray eyes that changed color with her moods.

And I wasn't the least bit curious what color they were now.

“You reek. And where'd you get that outfit? Some pizza joint is missing a tablecloth.” Jade took the hat off my head and tossed it across the room. My hair fell in a tumble onto my shoulders. “Oh, nice. When was the last time you washed your hair…or took a bath, for that matter?”

My hair was still wet from the shower, but none of that would matter now that Jade had everyone's attention. Conversations died and someone had killed the music. All eyes were on me.

I'd become the new entertainment.

“You actually thought you could come to our party? Oh, you did, didn't you?” Jade faked a condescending show of sympathy like she felt sorry for me, but that didn't last long. “How utterly pathetic.”

“Chloe invited me this afternoon, personally.” I sounded lame.

All I wanted to do was crawl away and hide, especially when I caught a glimpse of Chloe standing in the crowd. She looked mortified. And she couldn't look me in the eye, but
when she pushed through the crowd, I thought she'd speak up for me.

“Jade, don't do this. I told you before, I don't want any trouble.” Chloe didn't sound convincing. And she looked scared.

“Shut up, Chloe. And stay out of this. I'll handle it.” Jade dismissed her and focused on me. Whatever she was doing, Chloe hadn't known it was coming. And not all the kids in the room knew what was going on, but that didn't make Jade's torment any easier for me to take.

“We wanted to see how stupid you were. And from the looks of it, I'd say you're the village idiot.” Jade walked around me, looking up and down. And behind my back, I knew she was mocking me even more because the crowd snickered when she did.

“What makes you think we'd actually want you here?” she asked. “That druggie half-breed killed Heather. And just because the sheriff didn't arrest you, doesn't mean any of us think you're innocent. You're a loser, Brenna. And your boyfriend is a damned killer. He murdered my best friend and you actually have the nerve to come to our party. I'd say you're one deranged bitch.”

A part of me wanted to defend myself, but another part knew that would be a waste of time. I was in a no-win situation, like playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun.

“You're right,” I agreed. “This was a bad idea. I'm out of here.”

When I pushed by her, she grabbed my arm and Derek blocked my way.

“Oh, you're not walking out of here. At least not without a special send-off from us.” Jade spit in my face. And when I tried to wipe it off, Derek held my arms. “Heather was our
friend. And anyone who had anything to do with her murder should get exactly what's coming to her. Right, guys?”

The crowd howled and closed in. And someone had turned up the music, to cover up what they'd do to me.

I squirmed to break free of Derek's grip, but more hands latched on. Some groped my body and I felt them lift me off the floor. They carried me across the room and I couldn't stop them. I struggled to get free and felt blood rush to my face. And when I cried for help, tears drained down my cheeks as I screamed. Sharp pinpoints of light spiraled in front of my eyes and everything blurred into a nightmare of faces and sounds…and humiliation.

They'd taken everything from me and from White Bird. What more did they want?

Mob mentality had taken over. And no one would lift a finger to help me. Jade DeLuca had stepped into Heather's shoes and was calling the shots now. And I didn't know how far she'd go to punish me.

This was gonna be bad. Real bad.

Hours Later

Looking down from a second-floor window of the Seaver home, Derek was the first to spot her. Brenna's mother had pulled into the driveway and screeched to a stop. She threw the Subaru into Park with the engine running and the headlights on. And when she got out of the vehicle, she left the driver door open. He got a good look at her face when she crossed in front of the headlights. And she looked pissed.

“Oh, shit.” He pushed his way through the people on the landing and the stairs. “Make a hole. Get out of my way.” By the time the doorbell rang, he was there to answer it.

“Hey there, Mrs—” Before he finished, Mrs. Nash shoved by him.

“Where's Brenna? She was supposed to call me to pick her up. She's past her curfew.” The woman searched the faces of the stragglers in the living room. The party was winding down.

“Brenna? I saw her leave two hours ago. She hitched a ride with some motorcycle dude.”

“A biker? How did a biker know about this party?” The woman looked shocked.

“You know how it is. Those guys come off Route 66. When they hit town, they're looking for a good time. The word gets out. I'm sure they weren't invited.”

“What did this guy look like?”

“I never paid much attention until they took off. I really think him and a buddy crashed the party. That's what I heard after Brenna left with them.” He shrugged, knowing he had her full attention. “I'd seen them when they first walked in, but those biker dudes got a little rowdy later on. One of the girls at the party asked me to get rid of them, but by the time I got there, the jerks had split. That's when I saw Brenna take off with them.”

“No, that's not right. Why would she do that?” The woman shook her head, but he could tell she had doubts about her daughter when her voice cracked. “We had an arrangement. I was supposed to pick her up. She was going to call me.”

“I don't know anything about that, ma'am. Maybe she forgot. She was pretty hammered.”

When she turned to him in shock, he kept his eyes on hers.

“She was drinking?” she asked. “Where'd she get the alcohol?”

“I don't know. Maybe from those guys,” he said. “You need me to do anything? I'd help you look, but my parents are expecting me home.”

Brenna's mom ran a hand through her hair and heaved a sigh. “I don't know where to look. And she doesn't answer her
phone.” She looked like she was about to cry. “Are Chloe's parents here? I need to talk to them.”

“They're not here. They're in Texas somewhere. On business, I think.”

“You mean there wasn't an adult here?”

“No, ma'am, but nothing happened. A few kids, like Brenna, were blowing off steam with summer bein' here, but I swear the party was pretty low-key.” Derek got in front of her and touched her shoulder. “You're not gonna get Chloe in trouble, are you? She was trying to do Brenna a solid by inviting her to the party. If it'll help, I can call my uncle and we'll all look for your daughter. Just say the word.”

At the mention of his uncle, Sheriff Logan, Mrs. Nash got real quiet, like he figured she would.

“No, that won't be necessary.” And when she turned to leave, she said, “At least I hope not.”

Brenna's mother left in a hurry and didn't look back. Derek stood on the doorstep and watched her drive away. And as she gunned it down the street, he cut loose with a smile and went looking for Jade.

 

With the party winding down, boredom had taken over and Jade went looking for someone to mess with, the way Heather used to do with her. And knowing Chloe, that chick had more than weed stashed in her room. The girl was quiet, but she had her secrets. And ever since Brenna Nash had come back to town, she'd been unconcerned and distant. Jade needed something new to hold over her head to keep her in line.

She'd slipped into Chloe's bedroom and closed the door behind her so she could take time rummaging through her drawers and under her bed. Most of what she'd found didn't add up to much, until she got to the armoire.

One deep drawer was locked.

“What the hell—” She grimaced and went looking for the key in Chloe's jewelry box on the dresser. When she didn't find it there, she tried a few more places and came up empty. But when Jade ran her fingers along the back of the armoire, she found a small key hanging on a hook near the base. She would have missed it if she hadn't lost her balance. Her hand brushed against the key by accident.

“Nice.” She smiled.

After she'd unlocked the drawer, she was disappointed to see that was where Chloe kept her stash of weed, mixed in with more lingerie. Jade had hoped for something really juicy.

“Damn it. What's the big deal, Chloe? You're such a friggin' tease.”

In frustration, she slammed the drawer shut, but something didn't feel right. The drawer felt heavier than it should have been, if it only held lingerie, a few rolled joints and a lighter in a Baggie.

“Hold on. What's up with that?”

When Jade looked at the dimensions of the drawer, they were off, too. It should have been deeper than it was.

“Oh, clever girl.” Jade grinned.

Whatever Chloe had hidden beneath her stash had to be good. It took her a moment to figure out that the whole top drawer lifted out. And when Jade set the fake drawer aside, she knew she had hit the mother lode of Chloe's secrets.

“Holy shit!” She gasped and covered her mouth. “Oh. My. God.”

The whole drawer glittered with Lucas Quinn. His face was everywhere.

Chloe had promo flyers where Lucas's band had played, tickets where she had probably attended the performance
without talking to the guy and scraps of crumpled paper with his handwriting on it. From the looks of it, the paper had ideas for a song that he probably wrote and trashed. Chloe had obviously taken his notes from the garbage. She'd scrapbooked other mementos with glitter, like some lovesick puppy.

“You are really sick,” she whispered. “A terminal case of pitiful.”

Chloe had gone far past rational. She had photos of Lucas. Real candid stuff that meant she'd been following him, day and night. She'd even used Photoshop to splice digitals of them together. How weird was that? The girl had gone way beyond crushing on the poor bastard. She was seriously stalking him, for real.

Chloe even had bags of Lucas's hair. She must have scarfed it off the stylist's floor. The date, time and all sorts of details were labeled and tied onto the strand. Four Baggies in total. And one plastic bag had brown goop that held the hair together. That one had a sticker on it that read,
4 LUCAS,
in caps.

She must have been collecting his hair for years and numbered what she kept. Jade shook her head as she tossed back the Baggie. It would take her days to look at everything Chloe had stashed in her secret drawer.

But one thing caught her eye.

Buried under tons of sappy memorabilia meant as a tribute to Lucas Quinn was a hardcover book. It had a photo of his face smiling back on the cover, with glitter and lace in a heart shape around it.

“Oh, come to Mama.” Jade pulled out the book and flipped through the pages. When she recognized Chloe's handwriting and read a few entries, she knew she'd found the best secret of all.

Chloe was keeping a journal.

When she found Lucas's name on a random page, Jade read a few lines that caught her eye.

Quinn… Lucas Quinn. I can't wait to see him tomorrow
.

“Oh, brother.” Jade rolled her eyes and ran her fingers down the page. “Utterly hopeless.”

But a loud noise behind her made her heart leap. “Oh, shit!” She clutched the book to her chest.

“Jade, you in there?” A deep voice bellowed from the hallway.

It took her a moment to realize she'd remembered to close the door. No one had barged in on her, but the damage had been done. And she didn't want Chloe to know she'd been prying—not before she got a better look at the journal.

“Damn it! Friggin' asshole.” She cursed under her breath before she called out, “Just a minute.”

Jade scrambled to put everything back the way she'd found it, including the journal, even though she'd given serious thought to “borrowing” it. She had to know what was in it, but now wasn't the time, not with Derek yelling her name outside the door.
Damn him.
Jade locked the drawer to the armoire and put back the key before she glanced around the room one more time. Everything was like she'd found it.

When she yanked open the bedroom door, she glared at Derek.

“What? Don't you know what a closed door means?” She pulled him inside the room and gave a quick look down the hall, to make sure Chloe hadn't seen them, before she closed the door again.

“It could mean a lot of things.” He smirked. “In your case, I'd say you were hiding something.”

With her arms crossed, she did her best to ignore his dead-on insinuation. “What's so important?” she demanded.

“Brenna's mom came here…just now.”

“What? Really?” She pretended to be concerned, but couldn't hide her amusement. “What did you say?”

“I told her what we talked about. And she bought it, just like you said she would.”

“And did you do that other thing I asked you to do?” She grinned and wrapped a strand of her hair around her finger, flirting with him.

“Yeah, I did. I'd say we have nothing to worry about from that Indian lover.” He smiled. “And I've done everything you asked, right?”

She didn't bother to answer him. He pulled her to his chest and took what he usually got in return. And Jade gritted her teeth, hoping he'd get it over with quick like he usually did. Even young as she was, before her death, Heather had controlled Derek the same way.

And to think that crazy bitch used to brag about it.

On the Outskirts of Shawano—1:50 a.m.

Dispatch had received an anonymous cell phone call to 911 that couldn't be traced back to the caller. The technology was improving, but from time to time, they got calls like this and it drove dispatch crazy. Deputy Will Tate had been on duty and had responded to the emergency, but he hadn't been alone.
Sheriff Matt Logan got a personal call, telling him all about it. He'd rushed to the scene, listening for any updates on his radio as he drove.

By the time he got there, he hadn't missed much.

In a wash of spiraling cop lights, he saw Brenna Nash on the side of the road. He'd arrived in time to see Deputy Tate wrap a blanket around her shoulders. She'd been found wandering down a farm road on the outskirts of town—without a stitch of clothes on. She looked drunk. And from what he could tell, she might have even resisted arrest, too.

When he got close enough, he smelled alcohol. The kid was really messed up, in more ways than one.

“What happened to your face?” he asked her. The sheriff knew his deputy had nothing to do with how she looked, but someone had beaten her. Or maybe she'd done it herself. He wouldn't put that past a kid like Brenna Nash.

She stood there and didn't answer him, clinging to the blanket around her shoulders with her lips quivering. Her reaction had come from her fear of getting caught rather than any real likelihood of her being cold. The heat lingered this time of year in Oklahoma, even in the early morning. The girl looked like a deranged lunatic and she could barely stand without leaning on something. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out she was really drunk.

He pulled his deputy aside and spoke only loud enough for him to hear. “You give her a Breathalyzer yet?”

“No, not yet. I only got here a little before you did.”

“Get that done before you take her in. And I don't care if she refuses to take it. Do whatever it takes, you hear me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And did she resist arrest in any way?”

Deputy Tate shrugged. “Not really. She tried to run, but
that didn't last long. She was more scared than anything else.”

“In my book, that's resisting, Tate. We need to take a firm hand with this kid. She's real trouble. You weren't here two years ago when she was involved in that killing. You don't know her like I do.” He shook his head. “You gotta trust me on this one.”

“But, sir…”

“Why are you arguing with me, Deputy, when I know what I'm talking about?”

He knew his deputy was trying to do the right thing, but he didn't know Brenna Nash.

“Because that kid is scared,” Tate argued. “You didn't see her when I first drove up. I'd bet money she's a victim. And I don't think it's right that we make things worse for her.”

His nephew's call to his cell had triggered a reaction in him, especially after he'd found out that the Nash girl was involved. And Derek had told him plenty. Matt had made up his mind what he wanted to do before he even got to the scene.

“But there's something you don't know. I got a reliable tip that she brought this on herself. She took two deadbeats to a party with her and they had booze.” He saw he was persuading the deputy when Tate couldn't look him in the eye. “I'm telling you, this kid is messed up. Even cold sober, her judgment is impaired. And we need to teach her a lesson.”

“Lesson? What are you talking about?”

“When you get back to the station, book her like she was under arrest and toss her in jail. She needs to know that she was breaking the law. Cooling her heels in a jail cell for public intoxication and disturbing the peace might get her attention. And her useless mother will have to pay to get her out. Trust me, Will. For God's sake, trust me, boy.”